Actor Known for ‘Walking Tall’ and James Bond Role
Joe Don Baker Dies at 89
Joe Don Baker, best known for playing Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall (1973), has died at age 89, his family confirmed on May 7, according to Deadline. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Born in Groesbeck, Texas in 1936, Baker lost his mother at age 12 and was raised by his aunt. After serving in the U.S. Army and earning a business degree, he studied acting at the Actors Studio in New York.
His breakout came with Walking Tall, where he famously “wielded a wooden club as Pusser, dishing out his own brand of Tennessee justice.” He went on to play tough, gritty roles in films like Charley Varrick, Mitchell, The Natural, and Cape Fear.
Before his film fame, he appeared on Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Broadway. His first film role was in Cool Hand Luke (1967), uncredited.
